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ACL Tear services offered in Edison, Clifton, Hazlet, Jersey City and West Orange, NJ
An ACL tear is one of the most common knee injuries, especially among athletes who play sports like soccer. The highly trained orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics treat ACL injuries at each of their office locations: Edison, Clifton, Hazlet, Paramus, and Jersey City, New Jersey. If you think you may have a torn ACL, call your nearest office or book an appointment online today.
ACL Tear Q & A
What is an ACL tear?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four main ligaments that hold the bones of your knee together. The ACL runs diagonally across the middle of your knee and crosses the posterior cruciate ligament to form an X.
Together, these ligaments control the back-and-forth movements of your knee. When the ACL stretches beyond its means, it can become sprained or torn. Most ACL injuries involve complete tears of the ligament.
How can I tell if I tore my ACL?
When you tear your ACL, you may hear a popping sound and feel your knee give out at the time of injury. Other common signs and symptoms of an ACL tear include:
- Knee pain and swelling
- Decreased range of motion
- Difficulty walking on the injured leg
Many ACL tears occur along with other knee injuries, such as a meniscus tear. Accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment at Garden State Pain Control prevents further damage to your knee.
What causes an ACL tear?
The cruciate ligaments play an important role in stabilizing your knee joint. Most ACL injuries occur during activities that put stress on the knees, such as:
- Quickly changing direction while running
- Stopping suddenly while running
- Improperly landing from a jump
- Receiving a direct blow to the knee
You may be at greater risk of an ACL tear if you play sports that involve rapid changes in direction, such as soccer, basketball, or football. Downhill skiers also frequently experience ACL tears. To learn how to prevent ACL injuries, click here.
How is an ACL tear diagnosed and treated?
First, your physician at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics carefully evaluates your knee and asks questions about your symptoms and medical history. To confirm a diagnosis, they may take an imaging test, such as an X-ray or MRI.
Then, they develop a personalized treatment plan based on the severity of your injury and current level of physical activity.
A torn ACL won’t heal without surgery. However, the team at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics offers non-surgical treatments for less-active lifestyles, such as bracing, physical therapy, and regenerative medicine such as PRP therapy.
If you have an ACL tear and want to return to sports, you will probably need surgery. The team at Garden State Pain Control performs minimally invasive techniques, such as arthroscopic surgery.
Whether your condition requires surgery or not, your provider at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics develops a rehabilitation plan to help restore function to your knee. To learn more about treatment for an ACL tear, call or book an appointment online.